


Picking up the Pieces

by Chimeranyx



Series: Demon King Escargoon AU [2]
Category: Hoshi no Kaabii | Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Genre: Alcohol, Gen, Gijinka AU, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Sir Ebrum Tries His Best, a slight hint of a connection to gameverse, escargoon's mother is given a name, warning: the cop is in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25414186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chimeranyx/pseuds/Chimeranyx
Summary: Two days after the dust settles, Sir Ebrum attempts to get through to his new king. Meta Knight suggests a solution he's not a fan of.
Series: Demon King Escargoon AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1792612
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

It had been a very trying 42 hours for Sir Ebrum. He rubbed at his eye as Kawasaki poured him a mug of a strange, gritty liquid he called “coffee.” He didn’t mind the grounds - in fact, it kind of reminded him of his salad days, when he and his darling Memu would camp out in Whispy Woods, but those days were far behind him now.

He glanced up as two people entered the restaurant and took a seat across from him. He smiled weakly at Meta Knight and Chief Borun. “Good morning, chaps.”

“Morning, Sir Ebrum.” Borun silently turned over one of the mugs on the table, and Kawasaki obediently filled that too. “Did you sleep well last night?”

“I’m afraid not, but… I do believe Tuff had it worse than I.” Ebrum sighed as he fiddled with a spoon. “He had quite terrible nightmares last night… Mabel and Kirby helped to calm him down, but…” He chewed the inside of his lip, thinking of the terror painted on his son’s face as he’d bolted from the castle two days ago.

The timeline ran through his head. King Dedede, estimated dead at 2 P.M. His headless corpse, recovered from the moat at 5:02 P.M., and cremated the next day at 9:16 A.M. They still hadn’t figured out what to do with the ashes.

According to his children, the king’s death was sudden, and probably painless. However, the killer still lurked in the castle walls.

He, Sir Parm Ebrum, had no idea what to do.

“Sir Ebrum?”

“Hm?” Oh, he’d been lost in his thoughts. “Did you ask me something, Meta Knight?”

“I was only asking if you knew that the Waddle Dees have returned to the castle, and some were seen carrying various things in.” Meta Knight produced a hand from under his cape and flipped his mug over as well.

“Oh, yeah, they let me in a few hours ago.” Kawasaki said casually as he served the coffee.

“Say _what_?” Borun jumped to his feet and slammed his fists on the table, causing poor Kawasaki to flinch and drop his coffee pot, sending shards of glass everywhere. “Kawasaki, why didn’t you tell us right away?”

“I-I honestly thought I was still dreaming, Chief!” Kawasaki stammered. “I got an order for 12 extra-large pizzas at five in the morning, a-and I only get an order that big once in a blue moon!” He wrung his hands in his apron. “I only realized it was real when I saw the big bag of money on my nightstand!”

“Big bag of money?” Borun’s thick eyebrow quirked upwards, and his hand rose up to stroke his bushy mustache. “We must all be dreaming, then! There’s no way Escargoon would flop one of those into your hands.”

“Oh, it wasn’t him, it was Waddle Doo.” Kawasaki stepped over the glass minefield surrounding him, and awkwardly reached for a broom. “I actually never saw Escargoon when I went in… but, uh…” He tapped his fingertips together. “On the phone he sounded kinda… drunk.”

“ _Drunk_?” Meta Knight’s eyes flashed pink. “Interesting. A demon beast his size probably requires a lot of wine to be in that state."

“Well, if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that we can get in without being attacked.” Ebrum stood up, determination welling up in his chest. “And as Cabinet Minister, I must do _something_!”

* * *

By 10:30, Ebrum and Meta Knight had assembled a small team to dive into the depths of the castle. Now, their little group was gathered in front of the moat, where Dedede's corpse had been bobbing just a day ago, armed with whatever they could find. 

Ebrum looked to Lololo and Lalala and nodded. “Godspeed, you two,” he whispered, as the pair held hands and floated over the castle wall. All he could do was wait and see if his faithful servants returned.

It was only about five minutes later when the drawbridge lowered, but it felt to Ebrum like an eternity. Lololo and Lalala returned, now emerging from the intimidating edifice with Waddle Doo close behind. Ebrum sighed in relief - he hadn't seen hide nor hair of the captain of the king's guard since the incident. "Good mornin' folks! Lololo and Lalala were tellin' me you was interested in seein' the king!"

"Ah, sort of… you see, my wife asked me to try and recover some things from our apartment…" She would have come with them, too, if Tuff wasn't terrified that both of his parents might not return.

"Of course. Most of it's untouched, 'cept for your mattresses and pillows… you see, the king's so big he don't fit in a normal bed!"

"I… I see." Sir Ebrum turned to the posse behind him. "Well, shall we?" A murmur of affirmation rumbled from the crowd. "Alright then! Waddle Doo, we're going to visit Meta Knight and my family's quarters first, then the king."

"Whatever you say, Sir Ebrum!" Waddle Doo turned on his heel. "Right this way."

The castle felt like a completely different place than two days ago. As Waddle Doo lead the exploration group through the halls, Ebrum took in the destruction. It was almost as if a small hurricane had torn through - a hurricane with a vendetta against Dedede and what appeared to be a drinking habit. Every time they turned a corner, they seemed to discover another empty wine bottle.

Kawasaki picked one up, one with an intricate flower design etched into the glass, and his eyes widened. "Chateau de Sectra rosé? I thought this stuff was made up!"

"Well, no, but it's terribly expensive," Ebrum muttered. "Dedede bought four bottles and and each one cost more than my yearly salary. I didn't dare sneak a sip!"

Kawasaki bit his lip. "And Escargoon probably didn't think twice about drinking it… shame, too."

"Based on all the bottles we’ve seen, it's a wonder he didn't die of liver failure." Borun snapped a picture of the litter, then stepped out of the way as a Waddle Dee ran past with a pitcher of an opaque red substance - probably tomato juice. "Looks like he's awake."

"He's been awake since five, actually." Waddle Doo corrected. "He just ain't feelin' great."

"Perhaps now is not a good time to see him then," Meta Knight suggested.

"Nah, he's fine as long as ya don't shine a bright light near him." Waddle Doo waved the group forward. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Waddle Doo had been right - Meta Knight and the Ebrums’ quarters were no worse for wear, other than the missing bedding and couch cushions. In fact, Ebrum discovered a large amount of money upon his kitchen table, along with a note. Borun had almost confiscated it as evidence, but he’d held the police chief at bay.

The note was written in a wobbly scrawl, on one of the large papers he and Memu had bought their children to draw on, and the scent of fake grape wafted from the purple words. 

_Sir_ ~~_EbraEbruam_~~ _Ebrum,_

_This money is for you and your family to build a new house, i dont think its good for the kids to stay here. you can commision it from the wadle dees, their fast builders_

_his royal majesty Maimaigoon_

_p.s. You can keep the xtra money, dedede was shortchanging you for a while_

Ebrum looked at the money, a nasty feeling rising up in his gut. “I’m going to consult with Maimaigoon before keeping this.”

“Huh?” Borun looked up from putting a dried-out marker in an evidence bag. “He obviously meant for you to have it, right? I certainly wouldn’t refuse that kinda dough.”

“Look at this, chief.” Ebrum presented the note, watching Borun’s nose wrinkle at the scent. “He was clearly pickled when he wrote this! Escar - Maimaigoon, sorry - he usually has impeccable spelling and diction, and he certainly wouldn’t spell “extra” like he was advertising a snack marketed at children.”

“Let me see.” Meta Knight looked over the note, his eyes flashing green, then nodded. “He was definitely not of sound mind when he wrote this…”

Ebrum swallowed the nervousness rising in his throat all of a sudden. This was it. He’d made it clear he was going to see his new king, the first time since he’d cast Dedede’s body into the moat. 

He just hoped Maimaigoon wasn’t upset at the intrusion.

Ebrum probably didn’t need Waddle Doo to lead him to where Maimaigoon was. He’d guessed that he’d taken up residence in Dedede’s room, and his guide confirmed that suspicion. Still, he let Waddle Doo go before him and knock on what remained of the doors - which had been torn from their hinges and mostly burned. “Your majesty, Sir Ebrum is here to see you.”

There was a rustle of fabric. “Mmnh… he can come in.” Oh, his voice was _definitely_ different - lower, more husky. 

“Alright. Watch your step, then.” Waddle Doo grabbed Ebrum’s hand and guided him over the rubble and trash. The scent of pizza, wine, and ozone wafted through the air as he and his small group looked around - Maimaigoon had destroyed most of Dedede’s things, except for the bed, which was now surrounded by various mattresses and pillows. A large lump sat underneath a pile of blankets, and the pitcher the Waddle Dee had carried by earlier was now empty and sitting on the nightstand, next to a cold, half-eaten pizza. Behind him, Gus turned on his flashlight and shone it around the walls - which were now covered in scorch marks. 

“You guys gonna say something or just stare at everything?" A pair of glowing green eyes glared from under the blanket pile, eliciting a few gasps. Gus swung the flashlight's beam onto the eyes, which squeezed shut almost instantly as their owner hissed. "Ugh... If you’re going to do nothing, can you leave so I can try to get some rest before I start cleanin’ up?”

“Oh! I, ah -” Ebrum collected himself. “I, ah… wanted to check in on you, and… try to understand... what’s... happening...” As he spoke, Maimaigoon slowly sat up, causing the blankets to fall away. Ebrum now fully beheld his king, who now towered above everyone. A pair of horns erupted from his forehead, piercing his wild mane of sage-green hair, and a pair of metallic spikes jutted out from Maimaigoon’s shoulders, which now appeared to be more muscular than they were two days ago. A pair of fangs poked out of his mouth, which was curled into a disgusted sneer. “... Oh dear.”

“You act as if you’ve never seen a demon beast before, Ebrum.” Maimaigoon reached for the pitcher, only to find it empty, and sighed. “Waddle Doo, be a dear and have one of the Waddle Dees get some water for me.”

“Of course, your majesty.” Waddle Doo picked his way through the crowd and out the door.

“So.” Maimaigoon now focused on Ebrum, resting his elbows on the bedding beneath him. “You’ve probably figured out I don’t want your family here.”

“I… yes, that’s what that large amount of money was for… but…”

“But what?”

“You wrote the note whilst you were drunk.”

“Yeah, and I thought about it when I was sober.” The glowing green eyes narrowed to a glare. “Do I need to pick out the plot of land for you too?”

“No, no! It’s just… I’m not even sure I have a job anymore…”

“Why wouldn’t you? You helped in keeping the kingdom running, even under the rule of someone who had a first-grade reading level.” Maimaigoon shifted and groaned, as his joints creaked and snapped. “Only difference is that you’re going to be commuting to work from now on, got it?”

“I- yes, your majesty…”

“Good. Now get your little pitchforks-and-torches gang out of here. I need a nap.”

“But your majesty, there’s still so much to discuss -”

“And I’ll get to it later!” Maimaigoon roared, a spark of electricity flickering between his horns. “Get your furniture, and take whatever you want from the wine cellar for your troubles if you want, but, just, leave me alone for the rest of the day, alright?”

The air was tense. Ebrum glanced behind him to see that Borun had drawn his pistol, and the various other men had brought their implements up as a means of defense. The only one who hadn’t drawn a weapon was Meta Knight, who moved between the demon beast and the group. “I believe we should get going.” he stated firmly, and ushered the citizens out.

Once in the hallway, Ebrum sighed and wiped his brow. “I don’t know how we’re going to get through to him…” he groaned.

“I can still hear you, y’know!” Maimaigoon shouted. 

“Right, sorry, sir! Come on, chaps, let’s gather our things and go.” 

* * *

Later in the evening, Meta Knight had invited Sir Ebrum to a meeting beneath the tree in the center of Cappy Town. “As I recall, sir, you were wondering how to get through to Maimaigoon, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Well… from my experiences, a good way to get through to a demon beast is to remind them of someone they love.” Meta Knight produced a letter from underneath his cape and presented it to Ebrum, who looked it over and almost threw it down in shock.

“Meta Knight, please! We can’t let his mother know!” Ebrum begged. “She’ll be horrified!”

“She’s bound to find out eventually.”

“N-no!” Solutions to this problem started to whirl through Ebrum’s mind. “We can fake his death! We can say there was a mishap with a demon beast, edit a few photos…”

“And that would be better than letting her know the truth? Letting her think her child is dead?”

“I…" Ebrum's breath caught in his throat, then handed the letter back. “I… suppose not. Shall we see if Melman's still awake, then?"

"Of course."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escargoon's mother finds out.

When she'd gotten the letter, she couldn't believe it. Her little boy, a demon beast? Surely, Meta Knight was joking!

Still, worry grew in her gut for her son, so she set about making a big batch of his favorite oatmeal cookies that night. As soon as they were cooled off, she packed her suitcase, called Dream Land to tell Meta Knight when she'd arrive, and made her way to the train station.

The train trip took about two hours, and she’d tried to take a short nap as the sun peeked over the horizon. Whether her anxiety or the motion of the train prevented that, however, she wasn't sure. Maybe it was both.

Meta Knight was waiting for her at the station, and had brought along an expensive-looking limo. As they drove in silence, she noticed that the hood ornament had been ripped off. "Goodness, what happened there?" she asked.

"Your son happened." Meta Knight's eyes stayed trained on the road, briefly flashing white. 

"Junior…?" _He'd had the strength to do that?_ Her hands curled into fists as she felt a chill run down her spine. 

Meta Knight reached over and grabbed her hand. "I'll be right there with you, ma'am."

She gave him a warm smile in return. "Why, thank you."

The town was mostly quiet as they pulled in, but already it felt like it had changed a lot. Gone was the warm, cheery atmosphere from her first visit. A lovely little park had been built, but as she continued to gaze upon it, she noticed a few burnt poles out in front. She didn't ask what caused it - she figured the answer was the same as the first.

From the town, it was a quick drive to the castle. There, they were met by Captain Waddle Doo, who helped her out of the car, and from there, she was led to the throne room through hallways of wreckage.

The creature at the heart of the destruction was horrifying - twelve feet tall, with fangs and horns, a wild mane of sage green hair, and eyes that shone with a ghostly green glow. Those eyes widened as the monster gazed down upon her. Its lips parted, and whispered a single word.

" _Momma?"_

 _No, no! This isn't my baby, where's my baby?_ Her head began to spin, and she blacked out as the floor seemed to rush up at her.

* * *

When she came to, she was on soft sheets, in a nice cool room. She sat up, slowly, noticing Meta Knight at her side. "Ah - Ms. Aspersa, are you feeling alright?"

"Well, I've certainly been better…" she mumbled as she rubbed at her eye. "What… that was my boy down there, wasn't it?"

Meta Knight nodded. "If you'd like, I can explain everything."

"Please do." 

As the knight told her the tale, she took it all in. Her son, on the brink of death, had been sent to some awful company to turn him into a monster! When he'd come back he'd killed the old king in a fit of rage, then proceeded to destroy all iconography related to Dedede.

"... Is there any way to turn him back?" She asked, her eyes falling onto a picture of her boy and herself, before he'd left their little farm. Oh, this must have been his room...

"Not one that is readily apparent, unfortunately. Not one that he would accept, anyway." Meta Knight sighed. "It appears Maimaigoon is our new normal."

"Hm? Pardon?" She pursed her lips. "Who's Maimaigoon?" 

"Ah, Maimaigoon is what your son goes by now-"

"Absolutely _not_ !" She hollered, throwing aside the sheets and swinging her feet off the bed. She got up and pushed Meta Knight aside, storming out the door and down to the throne room, where she found her child pacing. " _ESCARGOON ASPERSA JUNIOR_!"

To her surprise, the beast nearly jumped out of his skin. "Momma? Oh, it's a relief to see you're okay…" He laid down on the floor, on his stomach, and leveled his face close to hers. "But listen, I go by Maimaigoon now-"

A loud slap rang out, and her palm stung as the beast cradled his cheek. "And who gave you _that_ name, hm?"

"Oh, Nightmare did…" A look of realization washed over his face. "... Oh, _oh..._ Momma, I'm so sorry…it's the name given to me by the one who made me into this…" He motioned over his body.

"And what about the one who made you in the first place, hm?" She put her hands on her hips. "What about the name she gave you?"

The beast rolled onto his back and sat up, then cradled his mother in his lap. "How could I forget? It's a name we share."

A smile crossed Escargoon Sr.'s lips. The name, after all, was a gender-neutral one, as all snail-folk names tended to be. "Now, Junior… if you truly intend to be a king, I think we should get you some proper clothing. None of these rags, alright?" She picked at the remains of a tapestry tied around his waist.

"Momma…"

"Don't you take that tone with me, young man! I didn't raise you to walk around half-naked!" Ms. Aspersa crossed her arms, then heard a quiet chuckle from the doorway. "Hm?"

Meta Knight strode into the throne room, his shoulders shaking with laughter as his eyes flashed pink, then slowly faded to blue. "I've never seen someone pacify a demon beast so easily. Congrats, Ms. Aspersa."

Ms. Aspersa glanced up at her child, noticing how his nose seemed to wrinkle a bit. "'M not _pacified._ " he asserted. "You really think I'm gonna hurt my momma?"

“Of course not.” Meta Knight turned away. "You've done well to break free of Nightmare's influence, after all. Perhaps he never had full control of you in the first place." With that, the knight left the two alone.

Escargoon grumbled. "He's gonna have to cut that out eventually."

"Cut what out, Junior?" Ms. Aspersa asked.

"Showin' up, saying something vague, then leaving." He seemed to realize something and groaned. "Is that how he gives advice? That's _infuriating_!" 

"Well, I don't know. He seems awfully charming to me." Ms. Aspersa patted her son's massive hand. "Now, I brought you some cookies, but I can't go get them for you if you don't put me down!"

"Oh!" Escargoon gently set his mother down, helping her to steady herself. “By all means, Momma, go right ahead!”


End file.
